Oakleys Plumbing Plus in South Dunedin is a major supplier of plumbing and bathroom supplies for builders and contractors.
Managing director Dean Stuart said wait times for products had increased from one to two weeks to as long as six weeks, and in some cases even longer than that.
"The biggest issue is [suppliers] can get the product but they can’t get transportation ... that’s causing the biggest issue," Mr Stuart said, pointing to difficulty getting products shipped.
Despite the frustration in delays, Mr Stuart said his clients were being reasonable.
A major difficulty for Oakleys was that when a sale was made, an order was placed, but if that was delayed or had to be changed as a result, workload increased.
BuildSmart co-owner Glen Williamson said it was frustrating trying to manage many different projects and be faced with having to wait for supplies to come in.
Timber and kitchen appliances were two supplies the business was facing long delays getting.
Mr Williamson had tried to be clear to customers ahead of time when there was likely to be a delay getting products.
"Making sure the key products you’ve got ... and obviously for larger jobs letting them know as early as possible, ‘hey look, we’re going on with this deck at the end of this new build, we’re going to need timber in three or four weeks, but we’re giving you eight or nine weeks’ notice’."
If they were renovating a bathroom they would make sure not to start until they had the products.
"You don’t want to strip someone’s bathroom out, they don’t have a toilet, a shower or whatever and then it just sits there for two or three weeks without you doing anything."
It made project management more difficult but also more important to get right, he said.
Brent Lucas Builders Ltd owner Brent Lucas said he had not yet noticed delays in the supply chain, but they were starting to pinch and could get worse.
"There’s supply issues all over the place, from garage doors right through to vanities and what have you.
"Anything from overseas is an issue, of course."
He said the only excuse was that Covid-19 had disrupted shipments into the country.
Meanwhile, a national building executive, who chose not to be named, said kitchen appliances were in extremely short supply, particularly Fisher & Paykel ovens, stovetops and range hoods.
"We have to wait months," the executive said.
"We’re switching to other brands as a result."
This had meant delays in settling some new house purchases, said the builder, who thought the problem was widespread.
Fisher & Paykel spokesman Andrew Luxmoore said the manufacturer was doing all it could to fill rising orders.
"We’re currently seeing a huge demand for Fisher & Paykel products, as people invest more in their homes.
"It’s a demand we’re working hard to fill, with our manufacturing facilities around the globe running at record levels."
He stressed shortage was hitting all manufacturers, not just Fisher & Paykel.
Fisher & Paykel appliances are made in China, Italy, Thailand and Mexico, and Mr Luxmoore said manufacturing timeframes were not the issue.
A Ports of Auckland spokesman acknowledged there were some delays at the container terminal "because at the moment we are short of labour", but he pointed to manufacturing holdups rather than delivery issues.
"Except for the container terminal, there are no delays. We have had delays with shipping but we’re addressing that with more people," he said.
Timber throughout New Zealand is heading into shorter supply, particularly for decking, landscaping and outdoor jobs.
Chiefs of Placemakers, Bunnings and Mitre 10 said demand had risen sharply lately.
Mitre 10 New Zealand building products merchandise manager Jared Bernard said that since the first lockdown, the business had seen customers invest in improving their homes. — Additional reporting The New Zealand Herald
